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Rahul Gandhi could be saved from his father's fate if he accepts Anna Hazare's demands, says N.V.Subramanian.

By N.V. Subramanian (12 December 2011)

12 December 2011: History seems to be repeating viciously with Rahul Gandhi. If his advisors do not bring an immediate rapprochement between the Gandhi scion and Anna Hazare, together with the complete adoption of the Gandhian's draft Jan Lok Pal bill, the son may suffer the hurtful fate of his father, Rajiv Gandhi.

This writer has previously argued that Rahul Gandhi is insulated from charges of corruption so long he holds no government position. The day he becomes prime minister, he will become vulnerable. And if the current opposition onslaught is anything to go by, Rahul Gandhi won't survive very long in office.
This writer believes such thoughts subconsciously prey on the minds of Rahul Gandhi and his mother, Sonia, and disincline him from accepting the oft-offered prime-ministership. In the years after Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, the media reported that the Sonia Gandhi family had resolved against assuming public office. The Bofors allegations against Rajiv Gandhi had consumed the family. His assassination was the biggest blow. No family member wanted to be PM anymore.
That at least was the line till Rahul Gandhi was fronted to succeed Manmohan Singh. He, however, appears unready for prime-ministership. He shows no eagerness or inclination for it. At least part of his reservations may stem from the fate suffered by his father.
That, at any rate, was what this writer thought.
But it has gotten worse for Rahul Gandhi.
Even though he holds no government position, he is under attack from Anna Hazare. Hazare accuses him of removing the lower bureaucracy from the ambit of the proposed Central Lok Pal bill. If this insinuation magnifies and is repeated across the country, it could be made to appear that Rahul Gandhi stands in the way of eradicating government corruption.
All the insulating advantages to Rahul Gandhi by remaining away from government would instantly evaporate. Indeed, the disadvantages are rapidly piling up. If this trend continues, Rahul Gandhi may find himself pretty much boxed-in like Rajiv Gandhi, who grew increasingly powerless despite being prime minister with a massive mandate.
The Congress response to anyone attacking the Gandhis is to lash back. Familiarly, assorted Congress spokespersons have called Anna Hazare a RSS agent. One of them, Beni Prasad Verma, has warned Anna Hazare against stepping foot in UP. Digvijay Singh, as always, has joined the anti-Hazare vituperations.
In Rajiv Gandhi's time, the so-called "shouting brigade" did similar things. The difference is that the "shouting brigade" was vocal within Parliament. Digvijay Singh & Co. are hyperactive outside the two Houses. The original "shouting brigade" could not save Rajiv Gandhi. That is likely to be the case now as well.
The Congress party and government leadership just do not get it. Party and government have zero credibility. The more they obstruct Anna Hazare's Jan Lok Pal draft, the more they are mistrusted.
Manmohan Singh's "clean image" no longer impresses India. Anna Hazare has set the new standards of cleanliness in public life. If anti-corruption laws do not meet his approval, they will simply not be acceptable to the rest of India.
This is the harsh and inescapable truth. Cries about "supremacy of Parliament" fall on deaf ears. Nobody believes Parliament is being lowered by Team Anna. The more vociferously Rahul Gandhi's supporters claim Anna Hazare to be a RSS agent, the worse they are disbelieved.
And it is bringing Rahul Gandhi into terrifying centrestage in the anti-corruption debate. He will be wounded. And if his advisers do not take urgent corrective measures, his succession to prime-ministership will be permanently barred.
People from Anna Hazare's village were fixed to meet Rahul Gandhi. They were turned away. Rahul Gandhi's gatekeepers thought they had snubbed Anna Hazare and raised the stature of the crown prince. Wrong.
The prevailing opinion is that Rahul Gandhi and his aides behaved churlishly.
Arrogance of power is never tolerated.
This time, Rahul Gandhi must initiate the move to open a direct dialogue with Anna Hazare. Frankly, the time has passed for a dialogue. The Anna factor looms menacingly over the Uttar Pradesh polls where party insiders predict a rout. The 2014 general elections may go the same way.
Rahul Gandhi has to call for a truce with Anna Hazare. He has to give in. His advisors can administer any face-saving spin to this. But he simply has to accept all the demands of Team Anna (barring bringing the judiciary under the Lok Pal). He has no choice.
If he does not surrender with grace, he will go down like his father.
N.V.Subramanian is Editor, www.NewsInsight.net, and writes internationally on strategic affairs. He has authored two novels, University of Love (Writers Workshop, Calcutta) and Courtesan of Storms (Har-Anand, Delhi). Email: envysub@gmail.com.

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